Repepping the CRX (plans and advice thread)
 

So, I've been rolling these ideas over and over in my head for quite a while now and I thought I would finally put them out there so I could get some comments and advice where advice is needed.

The CRX is good, but it has some problems, and I would like to fix as many of them as I can because I quite like it and don't want to regret my choice of car.

Here we go:

Visibility Issues [COMPLETE]: Visibility in the rain, and especially when it gets foggy inside, has always been a sore point for this car. Eventually I realize I just needed to replace the blades. At the same time I realized Rain X existed. Though I've not driven the car in the rain yet, preliminary hose tests suggest the Rain X treatment I gave the car to be a big success, and I give the product a big thumbs up for all of the 3 bucks it cost me. It's given me the confidence to go from here to buy some Fog X for the inside of the glass. I hope it works as well as their other products. Also, I've gone ahead and gotten some Rain X blades for cheap on Ebay, though I haven't gotten to test them out yet.

See this thread for details: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ions-9364.html

Rear wiper delete [COMPLETE]: Been meaning to do this for ages. With the rear glass Rain X'd I plan to do the delete soon. First I will have to get a plug from Honda, but eventually I hope to weld the hole shut. Heading to Honda for a grommet tomorrow, so more on that soon. This should do a decent bit cutting down on some drag.

See this thread for details: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...oval-9495.html

Alignment: Since I rather unscrupulously lowered the car a few years back, I've never gotten an alignment down. Stupid me. I'm beginning to think that's why I always feel such rolling resistance. Thoughts?

Hopefully I can give it a quick and dirty DIY alignment, but I plan to get some progressive lowering springs, sit the car on those, and have it aligned for real. Any recommendations for decent springs that won't cost me a ton? I've been slowed on this by a partially damaged thread on one of my rear shocks. Perhaps I will photograph for thoughts before I go ahead and screw myself by destroying the (expensive) tokico illumina shock I've got on there.

Brakes: I've got an intermittent vacuum leak somewhere in the master cylinder, brake booster area. I've got a spare I will throw on, hoping that it will #1 firm up the brakes and #2 stop leaking air and presumably harming fuel economy. Perhaps I will upgrade the BB/MC with integra parts so I get a bit better brake response, since I'm not very confident about mine right now. Thoughts? Anyone have a spare bb/mc from a teg laying around?

Passenger halfshaft: It sounds like it wants to blow up soon, I need to replace it. Hopefully christ is helping me out with this one soon.

Passenger mirror/camera: The camera has been taped on for too long. I need to get a stock block off plate and move the camera somewhere else so the car stops looking like crap. Anyone seen one in a junkyard or where they can be bought online reasonably? Dang things are hard to find.

LRRs: Hoping to get some soon. Secret plans, for now!

Moon discs: Need to get some steelies to mount the LRRs on, then I will drill some moondiscs on. Moon discs or pizza pans.

Other aero stuff: You can imagine.

Full hybrid insight guts swap: Exactly what it sounds like. Working on finding the guts now. When this happens it will merit it's own epic thread. Once this gets done I will be running MIMA as well, I hope.

Fluids: I've had issues with the oil light coming on intermittently with the 5w20 synthetic I've got in there. Any suggestions/ideas what I should do about it?

Water leaks: Damn thing leaks water in three places: around one of the tailights, through the open wheel well during driving, and evidently some new mystery place while sitting in the rain. GRR!

That's it. What am I missing? I've done very little but I hope to get most of this done by summer's end.

Would it be easier/cheaper to get a used hybrid?

But then there is the fun factor...

Recycling! I plan on getting a wrecked insight headed for the junker's and harvesting the parents. Reuse!

Besides the fun factor, the CRX has a bit more space, is well liked by me, and it would be a unique sort of beast.

If you need local help, give me a ring.

Will do! I'm sure it would help at several points :)

Went to Honda, they didn't have the rear wiper plug, bummer. Will call around and see. Anyone know anything else that'll fit? I can buy one for $15 on ebay but it seems like it should be lots cheaper.

However, they did put a passenger side mirror block off (I hope) on order for me, so maybe I can actually get one. Woo

Talked to the second local honda dealership, no luck on the plug. So, I went and bought the japanese part from a seller on ebay for $15. More than I wanted to pay for a bit of rubber but worth the hours I'll spend tracking it down in junkyards or somewhere else

Updated the original post with a question about fluids for the car.

Also, removed the rear wiper just now. Haven't done the the motor inside yet though.

:thumbup:

I miss my little 'rex!

I know you already bought the plug but have you tried the parts bins at Home Depot?
I know they have standard round plugs that might fit. That and some caulk maybe.

Rain-x: Works great. My wiper motor died a while back and Rain-x got me through. I did not like the fog-x. It seemed to fog worse. Don't use Fog-x when its cold out. I had to scrape ice off the inside.. Not kidding.

Brakes: I did the Integra MC swap with rear disks. Works great!! Also consider EBC green stuff pads. There is a MC that fits your booster so no need to change that. if you change to rear disks you will need a proportioning valve.

Oil light: you might want to have the oil pump checked.

Yeah, I'm helping you out with that axle, if you want to cross ship, I'll send it out like Wednesday.

Rear wiper - I've got a clean hatch with no wiper on it, I'd trade you even up, but you'd have to come here to get it.

Rear brakes - Screw drums - unless you like them. Get my rear discs :)
If you like the rear drums, see if you can't find some drums from an early HF CRX - they're aluminum with steel friction inserts, so they're lighter and cool off faster.

Alignment - The only spec that's adjustable on the front is toe... none are adjustable on the rears. Check your trailing arm bushings, if they're good, and if your rears are off a bit on camber, put a couple washers behind the two bolts that hold the rear trailing arm's compensator to get it as close as you can. For the front, You go camber out a bit when you lower the car, but the funny tire wear comes from Toe adjustments being out, because the tires "scrub" instead of rolling.

Oil light - Install an oil pressure gauge, don't trust that light. I've got a D-series oil pump, if you need one, unless your oil dipstick goes in through the pump, then I can't help you with that.

Booster problems - Just do a booster delete... The car's not that heavy. :)
I have the largest OEM ED Civic Master Cylinder, sitting around somewhere, but I'd have to dig it out. It's 15/16", from a Civic EX. (You have an ED CRX, not an EF, in case you didn't know.) The 'teg's MC is only 1", and you'd have to use the booster and MC.